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England - 1792

General Elliot - Biggs

Obverse:

Male bust in military uniform with a cocked hat and queue.

Legend:

GENERAL ELLIOT.

Exergue:

a small ornament

Edge:

PAYABLE AT HENRY BIGGS'S MOORE STREET

Reverse:

A fleur-de-lys.

Legend:

BIRMINGHAM HALFPENNY.

Exergue:

1792

Vern's Comments:

Diesinker, Patrick; manufacturer, unknown. Common.

Comments. Henry Biggs was a licensed victualler in Moore Street, Birmingham; and his tavern may have been named the "General Eliott " or the "Dr. Johnson's Head."

General George Augustus Eliott was the commander of the successful defence of Gibraltar in a siege lasting three years seven months and twelve days, which began on June 21st, 1779; when the Spanish cut off the land approaches and built assault batteries. Elliott was honoured by being created Lord Heathfield.

The fleur-de-lys was the Royal Ensign of France as early as the twelfth century, and Edmund, the first Earl of Lancaster, on his marriage with Blanche of Artois, differenced his shield of the Royal Arms of England with a label of France, charged with fleurs-de-lys; while Edward III placed a fleur-de-lys on either side of the shield of the Arms of England on his Great Seal and later quartered the Arms of France with those of England; and thus the device figured in the heraldic bearings of both countries, and was still part of the Arms of England when the token was struck.

The fleur-de-lys is also used as a "mark of cadency" to distinguish different branches of the same family. It is not clear why it was used on this token.

There is a token with a similar obverse but bearing the cypher P S (Peter Skidmore) on the reverse, which was made for sale to collectors.

Commercial Coins 1787-1804., pp. 192-193

England — Warwickshire

D & H 70 — Birmingham

Bell Pg: 192-193

O: Bust to left in cocked hat. GENERAL ELLIOT. A small ornament under bust.

A. 46

R: A fluer-de-lis. BIRMINGHAM HALFPENNY. 1792.

E: PAYABLE AT HENRY BIGGS'S MOORE STREET

Also in brass.